I will start off by saying I wish everyone had health care, I am lucky. Over the last 3 days I have helped a friend by applying for his "Affordable Care Act" health insurance. His background is this, 47 White/Smoker part time worker, not a great job but working. The health care act works off 2012 income taxes and ask you if you will be making approximately the same as that year. I answered this question yes for him. I also do taxes for some folks and his is one I do. In 2012 his gross income was about $13,500.00. I was certain that he would be on to fall in the category of those who receive assistance with their health care payments. The pay stubs I have in front of me show his take home pay around $530.00 every 2 weeks so $1060.00 cleared a month. After finishing the application the system has been down for 3 days. Today I was finally able to get to the section "market place" to get his quotes. I almost fell out of my chair when I read the least expensive "Bronze Plan" is $427.00 per month for him. This "bronze plan" includes a $6300.00 deductible. So lets do some math $1060.00 a month minus the $427.00 for the "affordable" health care leaves $633.00 roughly a month in his pocket. Over 1/3 of his take home pay would go to this "affordable" insurance. 0% of this qualified for government assistance. I rang him up at work and told him the price for the most "affordable" choice. He responded by saying, "I might as well quit and file for assistance". This I am afraid will be the mindset of many people when they see price of their "affordable" insurance.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 23:49:15 +0000